Switch-operating device.



No. 776.966. PATENTBD DEC. 6, 1904.

W. R. THURSTON.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1904.

H0 MODEL.

WITNESSES. H lfVl/E/VTOI? I ATTORNEY NTTED STATES Patented Deeemberdfi,190 1.

PATENT Fl lfi $WITCH"OPERATING DEVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,966, dated December6, 190%.

Application filed April 25, 1904:. Serial No. 204,659. (No model.)

To (LZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM REYNOLDS THURs'roN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and Stateof Florida, have invented a new and Improved Switch-Operating Device, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a device for operating switches which can beattached to an engine or a car of any kind and is intended to be sosituated as to come into contact with a switch operating mechanismlocated between the tracks and automatically open and close switches.

Reference is'to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive with a preferred form of myinvention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, showingparts in section. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the front portion of themechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to the front portionof Fig. 1, showing the parts in dilferent position. Fig. 5 is asectional view of a modification, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view ofanother modification.

In the drawings, (t represents an engine; but it is to be observed thatas the device can be applied to any part of a train the engine is merelyused as a convenient way of illustrating any portion of a train to whichthe device may be attached.

Upon the lower side of the frame a of the engine or car is located apair of hangers 6.-

These may be of any shape; but I have shown a form which is convenientwhen the device is applied to the front part of an engine. Two otherhangers c are also preferably employed. d is a movable frame which ismounted upon these hangers in guides, one of which is represented at Z),and it has extensions (2 working in these guides. Within this frame is areciprocating pin a, which is provided with an eye a, through whichpassesarod ,7, which has an offset portion and is journaled in bearingsZ2 in the hangers b. This rod or shaft is provided with a series oflinks and levers g g g g, which need not be described in detail, as anyconvenient combination of mechanical elements may be provided foroscillating or rotating the shaft or rod f. This series of mechanicalelements is preferably operated by means of a rod h, which maybe lixedin its two extreme positions by means of eyes 1: on the side of theengine or located in any convenient place. Two positions of these partsare shown in Figs. 1 and l, the second position of the rod it being alsoindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. it will be seen that by theoperation of this rod I). the pin a may beraised and lowered, so as tocome into contact with a switch-operating device located between therails. The frame (Z may also be reciprocated transversely of the tracksfor the purpose of allowing the pin a to be lowered on either side ofthe center of the'traclxs, for in the particular form of switchmechanism which I contemplate employing with this invention the switchwill be opened or closed, according to whether the pin is located on theright side or the left side.

The means for reciprocating the frame (1 comprises an arm m. attached toan oscillating rod n, which is operated by a lever o, the arm beingprovided with an elongated slot m for a pin Z, with which the frame (Zis to be provided. It is to be observed that the offset portion of theshaft f must be long enough to permit the pin,which moves with the frame(Z, to pass from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to theposition shown in dotted lines. This construction is avoided, however,when two pins are used, as shown in Fig. 5, and in this case the pinsshould be so arranged that either may be lowered into operative positionor both raised out of operative position at the will of the driver. Oncertain kinds of systems also the construction shown in Fig. 6 can beemployed, in which case the frame (Z would not have any reciprocatingmotion, the pin being located directly in the center of the track andthe switch mechanism being so constructed that the switch would remainclosed when not operated upon by the pin. and would be opened when thepin Was in operative position and in contact with i the switch, or viceversa. In this construction the switch should be so arranged as to beoperated in the same way when thrown out of center upon either side.

In the use of the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 5 theswitch-operating devices would be so arranged as to close the switch oropen it, according to whether the operating-pin were upon the right orleft side of the track.

It will be obvious that many other modifications may be made in theforms of my invention represented in the drawings without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. A switch-operating device comprising a frame,means for reciprocating said frame, a pin mounted on the frame, andmeans for reciprocating the pin independently of the frame.

2. A switch-operating attachment for railways, comprising a hangerattached to the under side of a car or locomotive, guides on saidhanger, a frame mounted in said guides, means for moving said frametransversely of the track, a tubular guide in said frame, a pin in saidtubular guide, and means for vertically reciprocating said pin.

3. A switch-operating attachment for locomotives, comprising a frame,and means for reciprocating said frame comprising a pin on said frame, ashaft, an arm attached to said shaft and having a slot for said pin, andmeans for oscillating said shaft.

4. A switch-operating attachment for locomotives, comprising a frame, aguide on said frame,a pin vertically mounted in said guide, and meansfor reciprocating said pin, com prising an eye, a shaft having an offsetportion passing through said eye, and means for oscillating said shaft.

5. A switch-operating device'comprising a frame, a plurality of pinsmounted on said frame, and means for reciprocating said pinsindependently of said frame, comprising a rod or shaft having offsetportions attached to said pins, and means for oscillating said rod orshaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM REYNOLDS THUR STON.

Witnesses:

T. H. LIVINGSTON, F. S. HoDGEs.

